


The After Story

by Shally



Series: If chimeras lived [1]
Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, What-If, hxhbb16
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-16
Updated: 2018-01-16
Packaged: 2019-03-05 14:17:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,639
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13389573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shally/pseuds/Shally
Summary: When the Zodiacs allowed Komugi and Meruem to live in a small island town surrounded by quiet and sea, that was supposed to be the end to Meruem and Komugi’s little story; it was supposed to be their happily ever after.Unfortunately, not all stories are so kind for star crossed lovers and gossip is a violent beast who does not take kindly to strangers.With each day Komugi learned that even though she couldn’t see the other island inhabitants, it didn’t mean that she couldn’t hear their criticizing whispers. Their words followed her like a shadow, growing heavier and more callous. Komugi could have ignored the words if they were simply about her...it was harder to ignore them when they were about Meruem.“That thing is a monster and she doesn’t even know it.”





	The After Story

**Author's Note:**

> Amazing art by beamie here: https://beamiessketchbook.tumblr.com/post/145707989146/i-participated-in-the-hxhbb-and-i-got-to

Warm sea air, water as far as the eye can see, and a separation from the politically well informed inland; these were the perks that had been promised to Komugi and Meruem when they had been brought before the Zodiac’s after the NGL incident. Looked down upon as if they were the worst kind of scum, in which Meruem’s case he was well aware of the kind of tyrant he had been, the pair of odd lovers had been given a second chance at life. 

Neither of the duo really had any say in the matter. Not with their ten judges ready to condemn them at any given moment. Komugi could only stay quiet as she heard strange voices around her, saying her name, describing the violence Meruem had caused, treating them like ignorant children. Or rather, prisoners of war. Because that is what NGL had been, a war site where hundreds, if not thousands of people had been condemned to death by the hands of such an unforgiving king. 

Komugi listened to each and every word, her hands always clutching at one of Meruem’s, because there was nothing more that she could do. At least this was a small comfort, because Meruem was someone who she knew, but not by how the zodiacs had described him. Had the previous king of NGL been any better? He had been a gluttonous tyrant with little care for his servants.

At least Meruem was honest with his goals and aspirations, and he was young. His ideas had gone from glorification and dominance to one of self served understanding. He had been a terrible being, Komugi knew that with earnest, but he was changing with every day. NGL wasn’t an ideal place to raise anyone, much less a powerhouse like Meruem. In any other setting he would have become an educated leader, maybe one better than these so called Hunters who sat in their tower and looked down on those considered to be simple commons.  

In a way, it was because of Komugi that Meruem had never reached his full potential. She felt partially guilty that her love for gungi had caused him to delay his plan for a perfect kingdom by weeks. For a youth, Meruem soaked up information like a sponge, and perhaps she could have allowed Meruem to win one of their games and simply let him kill her, but Komugi had always been an honest player. 

That...and somewhere between their hour long games, her negative conversations with Pouf, and her all nighters with Meruem, had the fragile woman found herself finally feeling connected to someone. Never had she felt so valued as she did when she was with the king. Never so protected. 

He was a shield around her now, a force that said ‘it isn’t me and her, but us and we.’ 

“He isn’t like you, Komugi” one of the zodiacs had said to her, “He’s a different species. A chimera.”

“I know that.” She responded quietly, she could feel how his hands differed from hers. She had spent many nights curled up against his tail, haven fallen asleep during their games, only to wake up and find her head resting against some part of him. 

A few times, when Meruem had felt comfortable enough to sleep, he would curl up against her, his helmet like head perched softly on her lap. It was moments like those that she truly felt glad that she could run her fingers over his velvety skin and enjoy a moment of blissful silence with someone who trusted her. 

One of the more dominant Zodiac men, who spoke in monotone and often could be seen dressed in black and white, tried to reason with Komugi. “He’s killed thousands of innocent people. You don’t have to force yourself to stay with him.”

Repeating herself had become a tedious venture. “I’m not...forcing myself to stay with Meruem. Please don’t say it again.”

The zodiacs had completely disregarded her comment and had entered a discussion amongst themselves, their voices hushed but still loud enough that each word was like a needle through Komugi’s skin. 

“She isn’t fully aware of her situation and she can’t even see. We should make the decision for her.” 

“If she knew what he really was she would want to be relocated.”

“She’s from NGL, she doesn’t know better.”

“We can't leave a human being with a Chimera, especially not a cannibalistic one. Plus...we don’t know what he’ll do to her when they’re alone. We don't need anymore bastard chimeras human hybrids.”

They were words that stung and caused tears to fill her eyes, which were opened now to stare blankly in the direction of the voices. The idea of...children was a concept she had never fathomed. Then again...she was a woman, and some part of Meruem was man, so the idea of conception of course was an abstract one that made her heart flutter and Meruem’s nen spike that she could feel its warmth from their proximity. What may have bothered her more was not the implication that she was a desperate fool with no sense of self, but that these strangers wanted to tear everything away from Meruem. If he wanted children, who were they to take them from him? The Zodiacs had already separated Meruem from his royal guards. Youpi had been placed in the care of a man named Kanzai’s; Pitou had gone off with an individual named Kite who would be in charge of keeping the cat under watch; Pouf had been forced to accompany two men named Morel and Knov, despite all of their protests, they were the only ones who could contain him. Meruem had let his royal guards go, no longer forcing the three into his line of servitude. When it came to Komugi, however, Meruem felt a wave of protectiveness for the human woman who had bested him where no other could. 

Their relationship had been purely business, but it had developed with the time the two had spent together. No longer were they simply enemies over a checkered board. He was no longer a king, and she was no longer his slave. Somewhere, between Meruem’s fight with Netero, and the almost death he had experienced, had Meruem started to value Komugi as a person. As someone who could become a…

No, Meruem would never expect anything from the woman who had shaped him into a more morally just individual. For weeks Meruem had become the tyrant he had never wanted to be. It was only in the coming days had he started to see the error of his ways. He couldn’t force himself upon Komugi, and he couldn’t expect her to stay by his side just because he had forced her to do for weeks. 

Ignoring the bickering going on around them, Meruem turned towards Komugi, his tail acting like a protective shield around them. Even if it wasn’t a proper curtain, it still acted like a security blanket for Komugi, who was biting her lips anxiously as she was talked about by strangers she didn’t know and couldn’t see. 

Brushing against her back, she leaned into the appendage, which she had never questioned, the same as with his hands or with his helmet like head. She had accepted him easily, perhaps because she hadn’t been given a proper choice. 

Lowering his head so he was closer to her, Meruem also lowered his voice, a sound straightforward and yet soothing. “You no longer are inclined to stay with me, Komugi. You have done me a service with your presence, but you are being given the opportunity to live a normal life once again...you are allowed make a choice so do not feel as if you are pressured to be with me.”

“Are you abandoning me?” Komugi says a little too quietly, that Meruem would have almost missed it if he was anyone else but himself. She cracks a painful smile and her eyes crinkle at the thought. “If this is what Meruem wants, I’ll leave...I’m used to people wanting me to leave anyways so it’s okay.”

He tightens his grip on her hands and lets out a short breath, “I am simply giving you the choice. If you would like to leave, I will not hold it against you. If you would like to stay, I will do everything in my power to protect you.” 

The zodiacs waited on Komugi’s decision now, having felt a new spike of Meruem’s nen, almost a warning for the others to say nothing. He knew that he could beat any of the men or women within the room, not that he wanted to fight. He simply didn’t want anyone making Komugi’s decisions for her. 

It didn’t take her long to decide. Komugi had known long ago that Meruem was someone she wanted to stand beside, no matter who or what dared to wedge itself between them. “If it’s my choice...and you allow me, i’d like to stay with you.”

With his grasp softening, he pulled her slightly closer to his own form and made her answer known to the Zodiacs. “Wherever you place me, I ask that Komugi accompanies me.”

“Any other requests?” one of the feisty females asked, her sarcasm lost on Meruem. 

“Yes, a gungi board...and somewhere to live far away from any others.” 

Even as the Zodiacs continued to argue about the chimeras words, and that Komugi should be separated from the monster who had caused a mass slaughter, Meruem refused to let go of Komugi’s hands. He did not relax his tense posture for as long as they stood there, in the center of the room, or even as they were granted permission to live the rest of their lives on a small island that would have hopefully remained ignorant to the whole NGL incident. 

Of course there would be hunters stationed to watch Meruem. Of course they didn’t trust him, but that was fine. As long as they didn’t get involved with Meruem and Komugi and invaded their privacy, it was a sacrifice that Meruem was forced to make. 

The island they were banished to was peculiarly shaped, lopsided and round before falling into a steep slope. The Hunter association should have known that adding two anomalies into a tight knit community would have only led to ostracization and segregation, but they cared little for Meruem. The chimera knew that he was wanted dead, and that people around the globe loathed and feared him. It was simply something he had learned to accept.  

When they had entered the air blimp with their new islands designation in mind, Meruem had been bundled tightly by cloth and nen enhanced wire, to make sure he didn’t plan on flying away or lashing out. All Hunters had heard of the horror stories of Meruem's ability to grow wings and fly, as well as to wipe out nen enhanced individuals easily with just a strike of his tail. 

Eventually, they told him that once they found a hunter capable of removing Meruem’s level of nen, they would do so, and they fully expected him to comply. 

“I no longer feel the need to do as I once have.” Meruem would say lowly. 

“We still don’t trust you.”

“I will not repeat myself.”

And they didn’t ask Meruem again. Kept away from the other passengers, Komugi became leverage against him. Behave or we remove her. Sit quietly and we might let her sit with you.   

Meruem had hated being talked down to, but he held his tongue and sat silently in the corner of one dark room, bundled and tied down, his tail uncomfortably forced against his spine. He knew he could break his binds easily, but he had no intentions of losing his merit so quickly. 

The silver tile was cold against his skin, and the wires cut in where his flesh was soft under the harder armour like bone. Arms were crossed against his chest, and his legs were simply left to be crossed. They had left him in a room full of crates, he had been considered to be nothing more than cargo. Peering towards the window, a corner of the blanket used to make him into a cocoon fell into his face, covering it. He didn’t even have the desire to admire the new concept of technology being show to him left, right, and center. Rather, shame ran through him. He was degraded. No longer a king; now a newborn. 

Leaning heavily against the wall of the ship, he wondered where Komugi was, but didn’t ask. He could still sense her faint presence somewhere near him, although he would have prefered taking a seat beside her, he was left on his own. Perhaps this loneliness was the first time in many months that Meruem had ever experienced it. He was always used to having one of his guards with him, or even an opponent. He could sense the guard standing outside the door, and the waves of fear rolling off them. Even tied up looking like a child in a pillow fort, Meruem was able to invoke strong emotions in others.   

As the ship started to descend, Meruem felt antsy to see his new accommodations. Perhaps they had provided him with a cell. He wouldn’t be surprised.

But he was surprised, because they had provided him with a small home in the outskirts of the island. It was an area where few mythical beasts roamed, but was considered still safe enough for families to live. Although getting to the house had been a problem. 

The other inhabitants on the island had been shocked and awed as a large blimp with the Hunter Association logo appeared, landing in the water on inflated skiis rather than on ground, boxes of cargo being shipped out as per usual. The one thing that the inhabitants could not account for was the white haired blind girl who stumbled out from the ship and stood like a sore thumb amongst the group of civilians who had circled the cargo to get a better look. Only when Meruem was ushered out, nothing of him visible but the lumpy sheet covered body, whispers started almost instantly.  

Komugi found herself spinning around and seeking Meruem’s grasp, not sure what exactly was happening around her. With hands outstretched, Meruem took a step towards her, and her eyebrows furrowed as she felt the thick bulky cloth containing him. 

“What did they do to you?” Her voice is uncertain as her fingers grabbing at the material. 

“It is temporary,” He assures her, his voice sharp, the bottom of his face being seen for an instant as wind flips the makeshift hood back, revealing a mouthful of teeth and skin the colour of moss. Nothing human about Meruem’s form other than the way he stood on two feet rather than four.

The uproar is loud and it's directed directly at the hunters, both men and women questioning what kind of monster has just been allowed onto their soil. It had taken all of Meruem’s patience not to grab Komugi and flee the scene, simply because their screams were like an irritating buzzing, causing the chimera to seeth quietly in his spot.   

“This is making me hungry,” Meruem whispers lowly, dangerously, if only to worry the hunters around him. 

“We’ll get you out of here. We brought you everything you need for those cravings. You are forbidden to…”

To eat human flesh. He knew, Meruem was not a fool. He was able to control himself now that there was something at stake. 

“We are going to our new home. Do not let the chatter of these humans upset you.” Meruem said both to himself and to Komugi, before following the Hunters away from the busy market place. He wondered why they didn’t simply relocate the duo in the middle of the night where there would be no one to see them. Then the reason became all too clear. As he followed Komugi with his head down, he realized that this was exactly what they wanted. To show the civilians what kind of monster Meruem was, even if he tried to put on a more human personality, that they should be weary. The hunters did not trust him, he had caused the death of Netero, their beloved chairman. 

That had been a case of kill or be killed, and technically Meruem had wanted to cease the fight. It was the ignorance of the old man that had led to his own demise. There was nothing, however, that Meruem could say to defend himself. 

In another sense, the walk was to further shame the chimera. 

The trek to their new abode was a relatively silent one, other than the  nervous chattering of the hunters, discussing who would be the first duo to take watch of the chimera and what they were calling his hostage. For the simple disrespect to Komugi, it should have been enough of a reason for Meruem to backhand the hunter, furious that they could suggest such a thing. Komugi had chosen to endure this lifestyle with him, and at any moment she was free to go.  

What Meruem and the hunters may have overlooked was how good Komugi’s hearing could actually be. Simply because she was childish in nature, she was overlooked in all other areas. Her blindness for some reason always equated with stupidity, which was not necessarily the truth. She was kind because she knew what it was like to be a burden. She was quiet because she was always listening to those around her in order to get a better sense of awareness. 

She was already not a fan of the way they had treated Meruem so rudely, as if he were an animal. At one point she knew he had been a king, and yet how quickly his legacy fell. For the entire blimp ride, a soft spoken woman had tried to convince Komugi not to stay with the ex king, explaining exactly what he was. Meruem's description was meant to horrify her, and his actions meant to make Komugi hate him. But she had seen a side of Meruem that no others had bothered to assume existed. So she refuted all offers of a life where she could go back home to NGL, which had never really been a home to Komugi, or to perhaps be relocated somewhere with a live in help who could assist with her blindness. 

“All I need is Meruem” is what she repeated, and that was it. Even now as she walked blind after one of the hunters, having to learn her environment all over again, at least she knew that Meruem was behind her, ready to catch her if she fell. 

As soon as the two entered the small house, Meruem broke his confines and tore the cloth from his body, his eyes narrowed as the material and fact that something so simple as cloth has made him resent everything about hunters and their motives. 

It took hours for all the cargo to be relocated into a cellar like space inside the house, jars filled with non perishables and some filled with meat for Meruem seemed to make up the contents. The hunter association had originally had in mind that if they supplied Meruem and Komugi with enough food, as well as working electricity and running water, there would be no reason for the two to ever leave their petite house in the middle of the forest. 

Finally, when the hunters had left and let the two be, Meruem and Komugi fell into a silence that they knew only too well. With her hands, Komugi spent the next few hours feeling the contours of the house, her hands crawling along the walls to commit the space to memory. She felt the dusty drawers filled with clothes that would be too big for her, and items that she wasn’t sure what their purpose was for. Technology had never been something either of the two had experienced, so the oddity of finding what was actually a cellphone had actually been mistaken for some kind of box. A small space that resembles a washroom with a large tub; a small bedroom with a single bed; a kitchen that had old but sturdy appliances; and another smaller room that was considered to be a living space is what made up their new home. 

For a while Komugi had lost sight of Meruem, who had found himself sitting perched on a window seat, one leg drawn to his chest as he peered out of the window, the town they had walked through visible from his perch. With his nen, he also had the ability to watch all of the inhabitants on the small island, including Komugi and the hunters. 

“Meruem?” Komugi repeats herself, finally gaining Meruem’s attention. She was used to seeing him lost in thought, although that was usually over a board, never in his free time. 

Turning to face her, he makes a noise to acknowledge her, watching as she holds out a book out to him. Taking the book from her grasp, it was something about appliances and their uses. It would be a book Meruem spent the majority of the night reading, getting acquainted with using obscure things like stoves and toasters. Meruem had always relied on Pouf to create meals for both Meruem and Komugi; cooking almost seemed to be a challenge in itself. 

Komugi never complained when the meals were burnt or half cooked, although when she had fallen ill over an uncooked meal meruem had taken extra persuasion in his meal making. 

It was a hard transition for the two of them. For hours at a time they would play gungi in the living room, sitting comfortably on the floor, speaking only to announce their moves. Later they would enjoy a simple meal, since Meruem had no talent in making grand courses, before the two either returned to their game or delved into quiet conversation. 

Months had gone by of the two copying the same routine, sometimes incorporating the option of venturing out around the house simply in order to have an experience. Neither were thrill seekers, and although the feelings of isolation started to become heavy on both their shoulders, neither dared to complain. 

There was only so much silence Komugi could take before she seeked some kind of comfort. She had tried to be strong, thinking that she could survive with only Meruem’s company, which is something she could do. It was the pressure of being the only outlet for Meruem that caused her to feel overwhelming pressure. Maybe if she was smarter, or more worldly, their conversations would be more elaborate and engaging. 

Simple meals and conversation were becoming a little tedious after the long months the two spent together. Every corner of the home had been explored so thoroughly that Komugi know the layout like the back of her hand. She had started to venture out of the home and into the lush garden in the backyard once their fresh food had been consumed and she had decided to take up gardening.  

Meruem had taken to hunting at night for fresh meat, which he would skin and prepare for Komugi the next morning before consuming the rest of his meal alone in the darkness of the wilderness. He didn’t mind his meals cooked, although he was forced by his biology to prefer his meals wet and bloody. He never ate when she was in the room, the sounds of bones cracking and blood being spilled almost a disgusting display of gluttony. 

Unfortunately, Meruem found that he was always hungry after NGL. Perhaps it was because he missed the taste of human on his tongue…

A bad train of thought. He was no longer allowed that savage luxury.  

And luxury was something the two didn’t really have much of. 

“Meruem,” Komugi had woken him one morning as she placed a hand on his arm, gently shaking him from his slumber, or at least that was what she had thought she had done. 

Meruem had taken a habit of staying awake in the night to watch for the magical beasts that seemed to loom around their home, his nen the only warning used to ward of beasts who seemed to approach far too close for his liking. When the chimera did sleep, it was for small periods of time throughout the day, where he would find himself curling up against a wall, clinging to the blanket he had arrived in, falling into a sort of slump. 

Komugi had noticed it, the heaviness in the air and the fact that Meruem constantly seemed on edge had made her think it was her fault.  

It only became worse when she would ask about Pitou, Pouf, and Youpi, who she had started to miss slightly, and figured that Meruem would have felt even greater emotions for them. Every time they were brought up Meruem would quickly dismiss the topic; he didn’t like to be reminded. 

Turning her attention back onto Meruem, Komugi sat quietly beside him, a large scarf pulled tightly around her shoulders. “Meruem, we’re out of fresh foods.” She says quietly, almost as if it were a revelation. The hunter association had not visited them monthy like they had promised, rather slowly becoming more independent from the duo as greater issues were dealt with. Most likely they had been forgotten. “The garden still hasn't bloomed...and other than meat, we don’t have very much.”  

Flicking his tail, the point drags across the wall, a thin line peeling the paint. “The hunters are not around as often as they once were,” he tells her solemnly, “Tomorrow I will inquire about buying new supplies.”

“Meruem...I don’t think I can wait…” Komugi says after a brief hesitation, “It’s been four days...ah, but I did find money. I think we can go into town ourselves. We have a lot of it...so maybe this is what those hunter men want us to do.”

“No.” Was his curt answer. “I refuse to go into the village. It isn’t…ideal.” 

Meruem already knew how he would be greeted, with violence and harsh words. And with all the months of gentle solitude, Meruem wasn’t sure he knew how to cope with human cruelness without acting out with his own brand of violence. 

Waving her hands, Komugi stood up shakily, “that’s alright. I can go alone, i’m sure I remember the way there, and if i need any help I can ask. My other senses are really good, so you don’t have to worry one bit.”

Perhaps now that he really looked at her he started to realize that Komugi had become more pale and thin, her skin taking on a very sickly kind of white that probably was a result of lack of vitamins in other areas. Her eyes had been highlighted by dark bags that were an indication of stress, but even as she felt waves of dizziness she never really othered Meruem until she found herself unable to bear her situation any longer. 

Touching her face, he slowly touches her sunken in skin and feels guilt hit him, “I should have known your biology was different then mine. I should have taken better care of you.” he says lowly, his head bowed in shame. 

“It’s not your fault.” she says quickly, his hand cool on her warm cheek. She lets herself sink forward and rest her weight on his palm, soaking up this moment. He didn’t usually engage with her like this, and in a way it was a little disheartening how sad the ex king had become. 

“You may go, and I will watch you. If you need my help, simply call for me and I will be there.”

Neither had to comment the fact that Komugi knew how Meruem rarely left the home with each and every month. Even his nightly hunts had become bi weekly ones, the Chimera preferring to fast now as his appetite left him. 

He watched Komugi leave with her cane in hand, watching with his nen and waiting for that hour, clutching to his blanket and cursing himself for not having the motivation to join her. When it came to the second hour, he became nervous but could still sense her form in the heart of the city. As night fell she had finally returned, a smile on her face and a large bag full of produce. 

Clutching Komugi tightly, Meruem pulled her back into their home and took the items from her, checking her form over for any damage, only to hear her rant about the kinds of people she had met and the things she had heard. As he prepared her meal, she spoke happily, and her laughter was something so refreshing that when she asked to go shopping again a few days later he couldn’t bring himself to say no. 

It continued like this for another month, until one day someone had followed Komugi home. What was striking about the figure was not just the hostility they held, but the fact that they were completely nenless, not a single trace in their form whatsoever. 

Komugi talked sweetly to the dark haired child who stood only a little taller than herself, a slightly awed that he had somehow known about what had happened in NGL, never once realizing that this child had been involved in the attacks at such a degree. 

Meruem was on guard as soon as the boy entered his home, his dark black hair spiked up and his brown eyes large and childish. 

The boy inspected the room, before Komugi introduced the boy to the chimera. 

“Meruem, this here is Gon. Gon, this is Meruem. Gon is a nice young man who lives on the top of a really big hill, and he helps his aunt in a bar. I’m not sure what a bar is but it must be fun. Lots of drinks.” She tilts her head, “Perhaps I should get some. Please make yourself at home.”

Based on the way Meruem's tail was raised that wasn’t exactly going to happen. 

“You are familiar.” Meruem scowls slowly, taking in the boy's’ appearance, having remembered his description from Pitou. “You almost killed one of my royal guards.”

Gon’s playful eyes narrowed sharply at the comment, and his hands balled at his sides, “So it is you. I can’t believe the hunter association put you two onto Whale Island.” He says bitterly, biting at his lip and drawing blood, “I just can't get away from you can I? I had to come see it for myself, the monster who killed Netero.”

“You no longer have nen.” Meruem disregards the child's words, holding back his own aggravation. “Nor do we have anything to discuss.”

Komugi stood at the kitchen entrance, holding bottles of water as she listened to the quick exchange, her lips tugging into a frown. 

“We all know what you are. I will never forgive you no matter what the hunter association tells us to believe.” Gon snaps, uncharacteristic of his true nature, but his anger something long lived ever since he had learned that the chimeras were being given a second chance of life that they didn’t deserve, not after what they had done to all those people. 

Gon remembered Komugi all too clearly, the way he was willing to sacrifice her life in order to kill Pitou. She disgusted him, considering how she willinging stood by the green mutants side, as if it was something completely normal. 

“I think you should leave...and please don’t come back.”    
Gon didn’t need to spare Meruem another look as he fled the house, hot anger on his face. Komugi wasn’t surprised by the boy's outburst. Everytime she went into town she would hear the other villagers talk about her in a flurry, their whispers never truly kept private between them, and rather drifted with the wind to Komugi’s ears where she clinged to each hissed out line. 

“That thing in the mountain is a demon.”

“It probably acts like an animal. A savage creature.”

“Does that poor blind girl know? She’s sharing a home with a monster.”

With each day it became harder for Komugi to smile around Meruem, knowing that just a walk away there was an entire sea side town slandering his name. Komugi only felt herself becoming more possessive of the ex king, who became more reclusive with every new week. He no longer hunted, rather resorting to killing whatever came close to their home, but as winter approached he found himself falling into a type of hibernation. 

The cold rooms had been a concern at first until he had learned how to work the fireplace, and yet even then he was always keeping a careful eye on Komugi.

When she curled up into the small bed, she would usually say goodnight and let him perch back on his windowsill seat, which had become warped by his form from his constant sitting. Sometimes he would tuck her in, or refill the fireplace with wood before grabbing a novel and reading by candle light, except when he had said goodnight to Komugi, she didn’t respond with her cheery goodnight in return. 

Instead, she had grabbed his hand and pulls him closer. 

“Are you unhappy?” She asks suddenly, her fingers clutching tightly against his, “I can see it, without having to see. You're always so sad.”

Taken aback, he took a seat on the bed, “What has given you this idea? I’ve never mentioned I’ve been upset.”

Her eyes tear slightly as she sits up, swallowing quickly as her long hair fanned around her form. “You haven’t left the house in a long time, Meruem. Some of the villagers think you’ve died, or simply disappeared into the mountain, but we both know..You hate it here don’t you? With me alone. You’re bored and angry because you’re really smart and amazing and you hate to be here because...you don’t play gungi with me anymore. We don’t...talk.”

He hunches over, body stiff with cold. 

“Its never been because of you, but rather because of me. I am...someone who deserves this isolation. I hate to have you suffer with me...so I thought that perhaps if I became isolated from you, you would want to leave and find a new life..once that is more suited to your character. You deserve better than a tyrant.” 

Her hands shake and she shoves Meruem away, her hands shaking at the sudden act against him. Both were stunned by the action, and even though it hadn't hurt, Meruem felt as if it had been a violent slap to the face. 

“Komugi-”

“I don't want to cry!” She yells, covering her face, “I don’t want to anymore.” 

Meruem tilts his head, seeing a flood of emotion escape the woman, “I never intended for this, Komugi.”

“I really like you,” She says with a shaky voice, “I like being with you. Even alone, even with everyone hating us, even with the whole world never wanting to hear from you, I do. I want to. I want to talk to you about everything, and play gungi like we used to. I want to learn new things, Meruem, I want you to know I’m not leaving. I couldn’t leave, you’re..the only person I have left.”

She tugs the sheets closer to her, and shuts her eyes, breathing slowly to calm her nerves. 

“I think...i’m lucky to know you, because no one has ever cared for me..and it’s nice. Even when you push me away I still want to be by your side because you’re not a bad person just because you’ve done bad things. You’re changing. You’re better everyday. Please..please...please don’t push me away...”

The chimera sank onto the bed until he was laying beside Komugi, his forehead pressed against her side as his tail curled around her, almost sweetly. 

“I’ve been a fool, haven’t I?” He whispers, feeling her hand travel over his head, soft to the touch. His eyes widen as she lies down, sliding downwards so she could face him, her fingers moving to his cheeks. “Komugi..”

“It’s alright..I forgive you. I don’t want you to be upset anymore.” She says softly, letting him bury his face against her neck, her arms shakily holding onto him, “You should sleep more...I know you don’t sleep at night..I can hear you flipping the pages of books.”

“How long?” He murmured tiredly, “how long have you known.”

“A few months.” She admits quietly, “I always thought it was kind of odd you never once wanted to use the bed.” her arms cling to him and her breathing slows down, her cheeks rosy with the embrace. She knew it was intimate, and the fact that it was with Meruem had caused her to feel a little light headed.  

“I didn’t think I was able to share a bed with someone who was more esteemed than I, whose image has only been tainted by my own.”

She shakes her head, “I’m really happy...you might not believe it but I’ve missed this.”

His hands slowly snake around her waist and he cradles her weaker form gently, “Is this what affection feels like?” he chuckles quietly, “I don't think i would have been able to be here without you...I dislike loneliness...and your company has always been a comfort. I won’t push you away, Komugi.”

She smiles and presses her lips to the top of his head, “thank you. Ah, will you finally come to the village with me. The hunters told me something last week.”

“Hmm?” He hums against her, eyes heavy with sleep. 

“It’s been over a year...and they said that all of you passed..You, Methuthuyoupi, Pitou..ah even Pouf. They’re going to come here for you.” She yawns, “You miss them, I can tell.”

“It has been a long time without them.” Meruem mumbles to himself, watching Komugi fall asleep curled up against him, for once a carefree smile on her face as her breathing slowed. 

As the sun rose the next morning, when a hunter association boat appeared in the distance, Meruem had noticed it instantly, as well as the nen that accompanied it. Sharp and crisp, one more powerful than any mere human. Glancing towards the distance where the water met the blue sky, a red beast shot into the sky, wings large and feathery. 

Shifting form his spot in the bed, he lifted Komugi to sit up, using his tail to hold her steady her.

“Methuthuyoupi?” Meruem said in recognition at such a familiar form. It had been fourteen months since he had last seen any of his siblings. “And he’s carrying the small yellow one.”

“Huh?” Komugi mumbled sleepily, rubbing her eyes as she clinged to his black sweater, “oh. Oh! Youpi!”

Beaming silently, Meruem let his nen spike and watched Youpi shift directions and bolt towards the two, “He’s on his way, and I can sense Pouf and Pitou in the distance.”

Komugi, waking up finally, takes his hand as she let out a cheery laugh, “Then we should get ready and go say hello.”

Wrapping his fingers around hers, he nods his head as pulls her close, “I think…” he says quietly, his nerves fading away as he felt something shift inside of him. Perhaps happiness, perhaps relief, but something he had been missing for a very long time. 

“Yes, Meruem?”

“Komugi, I think I’m finally ready to leave the house.”


End file.
